About Acupuncture
What is Acupuncture?
Acupuncture is one branch of the medical paradigm referred to as Traditional (Asian) Medicine, or Traditional Medicine. At St Helens Acupuncture we call this Traditional Medicine since it is medicine that is no longer simply in China nor only from Asia, and it is practiced all over the world. Traditional Medicine is a holistic medical system that has a much longer tradition than Western Medicine (or biomedicine). Acupuncture is the gentle insertion of very fine needles into specific points on the body. This process stimulates the lymphatic, vascular and neural pathways within the body, allowing natural healing to take place. These points are selected from their years of training acupuncturists receive based on over 3,000 years of medicine in China
How does Acupuncture work?
BIOMEDICAL EXPLANATION OF ACUPUNCTURE
FOR PAIN RELIEF : Very simply, the insertion of acupuncture needles into the skin causes cells in the body to communicate with the brain through chemical reactions. The brain then releases internal pain relieving chemicals to the location of the acupuncture needle in the body. Simple, right?
FOR INTERNAL CONDITIONS : Very simply, the acupuncture point locations on the human body are switches that have different effects of the processes in the body. For example, the acupuncture point Lung 9 on the wrist causes the bronchioles of the lungs to dilate when a needle is inserted at that point. There are hundreds of points on the body that have distinct and unique effects on the physiology and functions of the different organs including the heart, liver, lungs, spleen, kidneys, endocrine organs and many other body processes.
Detailed Explanation of Acupuncture : Each year more discoveries are being made to describe the mechanics of acupuncture from a biomedical perspective. One explanation of how acupuncture works for pain is as follows. When you insert the needle in to the skin, it bumps against mast cells, and they burst and release leukotriine (much stronger that histamines) and prostaglandins that cause the sensory and proprioceptive nerves to fire. These chemicals send a strong signal up the proprioception pathway and the midbrain releases pain-modulating substances (endorphins, dynorphins, enkephalins) to relieve the pain. This process should take 5 seconds maximum if you put the needles in the right area.
What is Qi?
The Classical Chinese medical text, the Nei Jing was written in a language that has been gone from China for 1000 yrs, and may have been mistranslated for that reason. The Chinese translation of “Mai” is vessel and “Qi” translates as air. The Nei Jing translates Qi as vital air or vital vapor that is in the air (Da Qi) where it is extracted from by the Lung. The true translation of “Qi” is Vital Substances. Biomedically, we know Vital Substances such as Oxygen and many others that move through the blood vessels to the organs and circulate throughout the entire body. If we oxygenate the blood, and move the many chemicals through the blood and the rest of the body then we help the body restore homeostatic balance, health, and well-being. Biomedically, the acupuncture points can be thought of as insertion or nodal sites that have effects on the vascular system (veins and arteries), lymphatic system, and neural networks (nervous system).
Traditional (Asian) Medicine Theory
The Traditional Medicine explanation is that vital substances flow in channels (meridians) throughout the body and over its surfaces. These channels are rivers of these vital substances which are referred to as meridians. The Chinese have identified 71 meridians in the human body, which is a basic map for all people. The meridians are often compared to a series of interconnected highways. Each of the major organs in the body is associated with its own meridian. Through the network of meridians the internal organs are connected to certain areas and parts of the body including the muscles, bones, joints, and also other organs. The Chinese believe that health is a manifestation of balance, both within the body itself and between the body and the external environment. When the body is internally balanced and in harmony with the external environment, vital substances flow smoothly through the meridians to nourish the organs and tissues. If an obstruction occurs in one of the meridians, the Qi is disrupted and cannot flow properly. When the Qi cannot flow smoothly or is forced to flow in the opposite direction, the body’s innate balance is disrupted and illness results. Acupuncture points are the specific points on the meridians where the Qi is both concentrated and accessible. Acupuncture engages the Qi by inserting needles at these specific points, the goal being to restore the proper flow of Qi. As the body regains its natural balance, well-being returns.
Summary
Traditional Medicine has been around for thousands of years, and has provided us with a unique and holistic approach to help prevent and treat disease. Traditional Medicine ultimately relies on the body’s natural healing ability to restore vitality, stamina and strength; maintain health and heal diseases.